Mad Jyhad

I was half way there before I realized that I could not arrive in my Robin costume. It was easily remedied with a quick smash and grab on the way there. The store's alarm blared in the night as I continued to run toward my Prince and my Sire's Sire.

It was a relief when I saw the nondescript building. Most of the cars that would have been parked nearby had long since departed. Only a couple was still in the parking lot. They had been parked so long that the snow had drifted up the sides covering the door handles.

Knocking on the door I had a moment of fear when I worried whether anyone was indeed still on the premises. The door opened a crack to reveal the bouncer I had seen on my previous visit. He looked me over before opening the door wide enough for me to enter.

"They are in back!" He pointed with his thumb toward the velvet-covered door.

The place looked different in the bright lights. The strobe light had been turned off for the day, the smoky atmosphere had disappeared, no music played and only a few workers moved among the tables cleaning up. Everything gleamed and glittered as everything was meticulously cleaned and put away for the day. I crossed the floor quickly trying to ignore the sound of my boots on the wooden floor.

I pushed the velvet to the side and threw the door open...

Finding myself face to face with Niculaie.

Behind him Jones and Sabastian wore identical expression of irritation. I swallowed hard as I backed up a step. "Sorry, I'll...uh..."

"No, you will come in and close the door." Sabastian smiled wryly. "It is okay. We were just in the middle of a...discussion...with Niculaie."

"Is that what this was called?" Niculaie asked with a raised brow. "Usually if yelling is involved..."

"Niculaie? You are in my city now. We will call it a banana if I want to call it a banana." Sabastian lounged against a pillow. "It is not necessary to involve Timothy in any conflict between ourselves."

"It is about Timothy that..."

"Niculaie." The name was whispered but held all the malice that a curse could.

"What is going on?" I asked as Jones came to stand by me.

"Niculaie heard that you had presented yourself to Sabastian's court. Apparently, he was curious when he heard that you had stayed...after." Jones told me laying a hand upon my shoulder.

"Apparently, Niculaie is nosy." Sabastian added.

"Niculaie was investigating what had happened." Niculaie snarled. "I have family that for some...unfathomable reason...cares for this...thing."

Jones wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me tightly against his chest. "He may care, but he does not understand our ways. I know what family you refer to. And it is because of him that Timothy has returned to us in such a state, I'm sure!"

I looked from one man to another unsure of what was exactly going on. I got the impression that Dick had once again called upon the Gangrel to look after me. "Just...just someone tell me what is going on here!" I yelled.

They all looked at me suddenly and my cheeks burned with their attention. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Why are you here, Niculaie? You don't even like me."

"Dick called me earlier this evening. He told me that you had...met...with these two. In private." His voice lilted on the last word and I caught his true meaning.

"What I do in 'private'," I allowed my own voice to raise on the word, "is of no concern to Nightwing. And...what...he does...in private is no concern of mine." My voice roughed as I said the last part and I felt Jones squeeze me in a one armed hug.

"What is your business with the fledge, Jones?" Niculaie growled, sharp fangs dropped down as he glared.

"He is my childe's childe. When he met final death he became mine." Jones own fangs dropped and his other arm came to wrap around me.

"As Jolly is MY childe that makes Timothy of MY line!" Sabastian added from his place still reclined on the floor. "And you are a visitor here, Niculaie. Do not forget yourself!"

Niculaie made a visible effort to return his face to human form but continued to glare at all of us.

"Why was he not claimed properly?" Niculaie growled, still eyeing me.

"His Sire was killed the night Timothy rose from his grave. Tyler was destroyed before he could bring Timothy home." Sabastian told him. "We were unsure of where Timothy had gotten off to at first. By the time we had traced him, he was already in Bludhaven."

"By introducing him as a Gangrel, you made it impossible for us to introduce him as anything BUT a Gangrel." Jones groused.

Sabastian held up a finger. "On the other hand it may have worked to our advantage, sweetling."

"What advantage?" Niculaie asked still growling sub vocally. "Who killed his Sire?"

Sabastian and Jones exchanged a heated look in which much was said without a word. I leaned back into Jones and laid my head against his chest. "I think Niculaie can be trusted."

They looked at me and then at Niculaie. "Perhaps."

"Nightwing trusts him." I said.

"Yet, Nightwing does not trust you." Jones whispered in my ear.

"I haven't given him much reason TO trust me." I whispered back. "I wouldn't even trust me at this point. In fact, I can't be trusted. That is why I'm here."

Sabastslowslowly stood up and crossed to Niculaie. "CAN you be trusted?"

Niculaie tensed. "Better than you lot!"

"Sit." Sabastian gestured at the various cushions and pillows on the floor.

Sabastian seemed to melt back into the pillows as though he had never moved. Jones sat down near his Sire and pulled me back into his arms while Niculaie kneeled down with a look of distinct distaste. "Tell me." Niculaie spat.

"Tyler was killed by Sabbat Malkavians. They work for a Sabbat Brujah who wishes to take over Gotham and is connected with a network that wants to eventually take over all the major cities...including Bludhaven...on this coast." Sabastian flexed his fingers before letting them steeple in front of him.

Niculaie blinked with a look of confusion as the aggression that originally adorned his face faded.

"It gets worse. They intend to turn the Joker. They believe that with his help they can attain their goals." Jones said still holding me tightly.

"But..." Niculaie began.

"They are the ones that arranged for his...court case. They used their influence to hire the lawyers and it was they who were able to bring him from Antarctica BACK to Gotham." Sabastian added. "We have been following their schemes and believe that they will attack and soon turn the Joker."

Niculaie looked at me questioningly.

"Yes, he was turned to help protect the Joker." Sabastian nodded. "Tyler was ordered to turn Timothy. We arranged a Sabbat style attack to draw Batman and Robin out. It worked wonderfully."

"Why turn him at all?" Niculaie asked, looking sick.

"The Joker is a special case; if he is turned it will take a special type of person to fight him. Someone who has fought the Joker before!" Sabastian stated. "Such people do not usually exist among our kind, especially among Malkavians. And other clans never take ours seriously. Besides, this is our problem, and we do have our pride as much ny cny clan does. This is a serious threat and not to be taken lightly. We weighed this decision very carefully. We needed to turn a hero. Robin turned out to be the best option."

"How? Why not Batman or any of the others in this God forsaken town?" Niculaie asked staring at me.

Sabastian sat up and faced Niculaie. "As I said we weighed our decision carefully. Let me be blunt, child of the Gangrel. Our clan is cursed. It is well known that to be given the Dark Kiss by a member of our clan is to be Embraced by insanity itself! And it was necessary for a Malkavian to face this challenge. If a Malk embraces someone with mental problems then their problems are magnified. Sometimes in unpredictable ways."

"That does not answer my question." Niculaie said.

"To again put it bluntly, MOST of the 'heroes' in this town are just as nutty as the criminals they fight!" Jones laughed. "WITH the exception of two...at least...rather they were the least of the nutty."

"Nightwing, who is actually a Bludhaven resident...and Robin. BUT as we said we investigated. We are well aware that the Gangrel clan has claim on Nightwing." Sabastian nodded toward Niculaie. "I assume you are waiting for him to age a little more?"

I jumped within Jones' arms and looked to Niculaie for a denial.

"Yes, we've been waiting for him to be ready. Not only in seeming age but also in maturity. I'm pleased with his progress. I plan to turn him rather soon." Niculaie actually smiled.

Jones held me tightly, leaning forward to rest his head against mine. "Calm yourself, little brat." he whispered. "Calm!"

"As you can see that left only Robin. Intelligent, strong, courageous, saner than most heroes, and he has fought the Joker on more than one occasion. It was unfortunate that he was so young at his turning but it was unavoidable." Sabastian nodded. "But I do have to admit that there is something alluring about his appearance, innocent, delicious. I don't regret his presence at all."

"Why did you not just kill the Joker yourselves?" Niculaie asked, beginning to relax against the many pillows.

"Even in a maximum security prison he is dangerous. He is much too dangerous to send lower generation vampires after, even higher generation vampires would be hard pressed to face him. Not to mention that such a move would definitely risk the Masquerade." Sabastian lay back down and turned on his side to face Niculaie.

"I can see your...reasoning...I suppose. I guess I even understand why you did what you did." Niculaie nodded. "What is the plan?"

"Robin and other select vampires will basically be playing the Joker's bodyguards. The idea is to try and prevent his turning. Failing that..." Sabastian shrugged.

Niculaie frowned. "Failing that, Robin is to bring him down."

"Yes." Sabastian looked over at me with a smile. "He is beautifully made. He will not fail us."

Niculaie ran a hand through his hair. "I always thought you Malks stood together."

"No more than any other clan. Our clan is no different than any of the others when the division between Sabbat and Camarilla comes into play. We would no more stand with the Sabbat than a Sabbat Gangrel and a Camarilla Gangrel would stand together." Jones said, stroking my hair. I relaxed under his touch and settled for glaring at the Gangrel.

Niculaie studied us closely for a few moments before he looked up at Sabastian. "I'm in."

"In?" the Prince asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm in, I want to help. I want to be in on this. The Joker is bad news and having heard about him from Richard I take anything concerning him seriously. I want in on this. Even if that means I have to work with you Malks." Niculaie gestured to all three of us.

"Well...then, I guess you are...In!" Sabastian smiled.

Niculaie rolled his eyes.

The Gangrel turned back to me, "Now, how about you explain what is going on between you and Richard?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. In fact, I said good-bye to him tonight. I...I shouldn't...be around him.on'ton't intend to ever see him again."

Grave blue eyes regarded me before Niculaie smiled a tight and satisfied smile. "Good, that is as it should be."

I closed my eyes and turned toward Jones' chest, who held me tightly and stroked my back while murmuring words of comfort in my ear.

The pillows shifted beside me and I looked up to see Sabastian had moved beside us. He reached out his hand and stroked the side of my face. "Yes, it is as it should be." he whispered.

I closed my eyes again and snuggled between both Malkavians.

Niculaie grunted his assent. "We will keep the humans out of this from this point on. I'll talk to Richard tonight. I will let him know that Timothy has been returned to his clan where he belongs. There is no more need to involve any of them."

I nodded against Jones chest. "I understand." I whispered.

Niculaie sighed and rolled his eyes. "Humans can't understand anyway. You are better off. Don't take it too hard."

I looked up in time to watch him stand. "I must get to my haven before the dawn fully rises. I will return tonight."

The Prince nodded. "Tonight then. Tot wet we set up watch. My sources tell me that the Sabbat are moving into position."

"Hm." Niculaie grunted as the door closed behind him.

"Little one, you will stay here from now on." Sabastian continued to stroke my hair and face. "Your heart hurts for now but it will quickly fade."

"Promise?" I asked.

"We could not survive for centuries at a time if pain did not pass. Time as they say...heals all wounds." Jones whispered into my ear.

Hands lightly stroked my sides as lips found the sensitive spot behind my ear. "You are welcomed and wanted here." Jones continued.

"I'm sorry I ruined everything. I know I was supposed to stay there. I...I attacked Dick tonight." I said, my voice growing husky as the Prince pulled me to my feet. "He...I...I don't know what happened. One moment I was in control and the next I was trying to kill him."

Sabastian pulled me closer and shushed me. "Little one, it is in our nature to be violent. You are very young. Strong yes, but still young, you have much to learn. You want him, and some part of you wants to claim him. Claim him as yours or kill him. It is an instinct that is very hard to deny. Until either Niculaie or yourself claim him or you lose your attraction to him he is truly not safe around you. I had hoped that you could distance yourself from those feelings; I had hoped the attraction wasn't so strong. I was wrong. You will stay here and we will adjust our plans as events unfold."

As he spoke he stroked my hair and my face and I leaned into his caresses.

"But what about Batman? He will come looking for me!" I whispered. "I messed everything up!"

"Do not concern yourself. An answer will be found." The Prince slowly led me to a new door hid behind a bright tapestry. "The sun rises and we must rest."

He unlocked the door and opened it in one smooth motion. Steps led down into darkness and he continued to pull me close behind him. Jones followed us with a smile as he closed the door and flipped the light switch on.

Bright gray concrete patched the sides of the staircase. There were little pieces of concrete and brick that still littered the stairs and a couple of the steps had been completely reduced to rubble. Sabastian gracefully stepped over them without even a downward glance. The walls were uneven and it took me a few minutes to figure out what had happened. It had never occurred to me that the vampire community had to deal with the earthquake the same as any of the other Gotham residents.

At the bottom of the steps Sabastian opened another door and switched off the lights to the steps. As we entered the new room I nearly tripped over some debris in the floor. All around us signs of new construction filled the room. Strong beams held up the ceiling and walls had been completely rebuilt.

I squeezed his hand as I saw the pile of rubble in the corner. "The earthquake...?"

"We were fortunate, little one. The earthquake happened in the middle of the night. We lost very little of our numbers. Most were hunting at the time. Very few of us perished. Many of us escaped into Bludhaven until it was safe to return while others considered it a gift from the gods, hunting with abandon and with no fear of the Masquerade." Sabastian said, leading us into yet another room.

"Did you go to Bludhaven?askeasked.

"No, I stayed here. Much to my sweetling's consternation, he feared for me."

Jones made a small noise behind us, "This place is a mad house at the best of times..."

"Which is why our clan is more than at home here." Sabastian laughed. "But I could not leave anymore than a captain could leave a sinking ship."

"I think...Batman felt a little like that. It's his home..." I shrugged, feeling a little vague.

"As it is now mine. And I protect what is mine." The lights came on and I gasped in surprise. After the destruction in the other room and the staircase I had not imagined that such splendor would exist down there. The room was a little like the room above in that there were no chairs or tables. But from there the differences were staggering. In the center of the room was a round bed only a few inches from the floor, covered in black silk. Pil fil filled the room and tapestries hung from every wall, brightly coloring the room and giving the illusion of a bright summer's day. Books lined one wall and a computer sat in one corner. I swallowed a giggle at the sight of an expensive computer system sitting on the floor. Papers were scattered around the bed and a closer look revealed that each newspaper was written in a different language. From a glance I could identify French, German, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and many others that I could not identify without first having to pick it up.

Expensive antiques lined the floor in a haphazard manner and Jones was careful to step over many of the more delicate ones in his way. Sabastian pulled me into the room completely and led me to the bed. "You will stay here, little one."

Sabastian gently but firmly pushed me into the bed and I looked up to see stars painted on the ceiling above. "Stars..." I whispered.

Sabastian lay down while propping himself up on one arm and looked up with a smile. "Before I was turned I was a sailor. The stars were my friends; if I could see them then I knew where home was. If I were lost they would help me find my way. They became a comfort to me and I would begin to feel lost if I could not see them. After all these centuries I still feel that way."

The Prince reached out a hand and pulled me closer as he shifted around to remove my clothing. Jones pulled off his jacket and began to also undress as he began to speak. "For me, the stars and the moon are an echo of day. I don't miss the sun because I can still look up and see its reflection."

I kicked off my boots with a sigh and climbed between the two vampires. "When I was trapped in my casket I would close my eyes tightly and stars would appear. At some point I guess I started to talk to them. After a while they started talking back to me."

They wrapped their arms around me and held me close between them. "What are they? How do they speak?" I asked in a whisper.

Sabastian quietly laughed. "It is called the Malkavian Madness Network."

Jones turned on his side and faced me completely as a finger traced my spine from behind. "Basically, what you are hearing isn't the stars directly. You are hearing other Malks. We communicate through the Network through different mediums. Sometimes you may hear it as a hallucination like the stars speaking; sometimes you might pick something up during a dream. We sometimes see the past, the present, and if we are lucky... a hint of the future! It isn't easy to communicate through the network."

Sabastian began to rub his hand down my sides. "Often it is cryptic or purely random. One cannot often speak plainly through the network and often the message is...lost in the translation. Sometimes though, the communication isn't intended. Many Malks unintentionally transmit. That can be rather entertaining. But the Network can be used to transmit valuable information but it should be passed alby aby an older and powerful vampire so that the message is understood."

Jones nodded as he reached out a finger and traced my jaw. "It is why many of the other clans are under the impression that we all stand together in our madness. To an outsider it will appear as hundreds to thousands of Malks just suddenly 'knew' and stood up to accomplish a single objective."

"The Network is how we realized where you had gone and how to find you." Sabastian continued, stroking my bared flesh.

"I and Jolly were able to focus on you and listen in on the human training you." His hands crept around to my front and began to slide down. I writhed as he came nearer to his goal and moaned as Jones added his own hands to the game.

"So..." I gasped. "Were you the ones that were telling me about the different clans...sorta?" I was beginning to find it hard to concentrate.

"Yes, little one." Sabastian nipped my ear. "We've been with you since almost the beginning. Although I imagine the first you heard was of Tyler. Your father in darkness."

I tossed my head back as Sabastian's teeth grazed my neck. "Oh, God!"

Sabastian's hand pumped at my erection while Jones' found its way to my backside. Their arms crossed over my hip and I was pinned by them. Jones' hard erection pressed against my leg while Sabastian's teased me from behind.

Jones tickled my entrance causing me to gasp and he swooped in for a deep kiss that left my lips vibrating with the intensity. I moaned in disappointment as the teasing finger left completely and he snickered. He brought the finger to my lower lip and stroked it gently before he tipped it forward pushing it past my lips into my mouth.

I sucked on the finger bringing a moan to Jones' own lips before I reached out and touched his hairy chest. Soft dark fur coated his body and I found myself petting my way down from his nipples down to his stomach and beyond as I finally touched him. He thrust into my hand as he moved his finger in and out of my mouth in a parody of lovemaking coating it with my saliva.

Behind me Sabastian placed chaste kisses along my neck and shoulders as he continued to stroke the hardness between my legs.

Jones took his finger and lightly tapped the fangs that had dropped down before he pressed me with a hard kiss. I jumped in their arms as the slick finger found it's way back to my backside. I squirmed and gasped in their arms.

"So responsive, little one." Sabastian muttered as he pulled away. I moaned in disappointment as Jones pulled back also.

"Not to worry, little brat." Jones pushed me down onto the bed and moved down my body capturing me with his lips and making me arch off the bed. Teeth grazed skin without piercing as he pulled his head back before plunging bdowndown and swallowing me whole causing a scream to erupt from my mouth.

The finger came back and pressed its way in, I shuddered from the sensations tossing my head back into the pillow with wild abandon. I vaguely felt the bed shift but was unable to open my eyes to follow the movement as tongue and fingers worked me over.

The moan from Jones took me completely by surprise and added to my own pleasure as the vibration stimulated me further. I forced my eyes open to see Sabastian over Jones' shoulder eyes glazed with passion. One hand clutched at Jones' hip and the other was wrapped around him stroking him in time with his thrusts. I found myself moaning with Jones as I was caught up in the erotic sight of Sabastian pounding into the other vampire and also in the sensation of Jones' fingers and mouth on myself. I was caught in torment as I tried to thrust both up into his mouth and back on the invading fingers that sent off sparks behind my eyes every other second.

I wanted it to go on forever. But all too soon it had to end as I could not last and instead came in a gush down Jones' throat. Slowly, he crawled up my body with Sabastian still mounting him and straddled me bending down to kiss me passionately as the other vampire continued to fuck him mercilessly.

Reaching up I stroked his chest and playfully flicked at the hard nipples I found there driving him mad with lust as he leaned in again to kiss me roughly. I laughed as he tossed his head back with a groan as Sabastian cruelly gripped his weeping erection and kept him from coming. He wept with frustration and Sabastian nipped him playfully with a grin.

I carefully scooted down under them until my head was near enough to take him into my own mouth and I licked the pearly drops that appeared. The brown haired vampire whimpered as I used some of the same tricks he had done on me to him. Above us Sabastian grunted and released Jones erection to allow me full access. I fondled his balls as I sucked at him hard imagining that it was blood I was trying to get at. I grasped his thighs to hold him in place as I sucked and I could feel Sabastian's legs that had straddled my chest just behind Jones'.

Jones' fisted the sheets as he came closer and closer to coming and I sucked harder, swirling my tongue around the edge of the tiny hole before dropping it down to lick around the hood. I heahe she sheet rip a second before the first jet of thick cream hit the back of my throat. Still imagining blood I swallowed deeply over and over again as he began to thrust into my mouth despite the hold I had on his legs. Seconds later Sabastian's own scream added to Jones and they both collapsed to either side of me as we snuggled together falling into deep sleep.

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